Liverpool legend: van Persie reminds me of Torres under Hodgson

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Liverpool legend and now Sky Sports football pundit Jamie Carragher says that the situation of Moyes is more-or-less similar to that of Liverpool under Roy Hodgson.

After taking charge of managerial hot-seat from Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer, everybody expected that the journey won’t be smooth for David Moyes, but frankly, very few had predicted it would be this bad.

Already out of title race, domestic cup competitions, there is a genuine fear that the Red Devils might not finish in top four this season. Even, their chances of progressing to the next rounds of the Champions League is in doubt, after they lost 2-0 to Olympiakos in the first leg of the round of 16 knock out tie.

After the match Dutch striker Robin van Persie made a bold comment stating that he is confused with the tactics of United, as feels players are moving into his territories preventing him from playing his natural game.

This has led to many interpretations in the media with many suggesting that early cracks in the dressing room harmony is now evident.

Now Carragher in his column for the Daily Mail says that he feels the situation of van Persie is like that Fernando Torres under Roy Hodgson.

“The way Robin van Persie, for instance, is playing reminds me of the way Fernando Torres was with Hodgson. His goal record might be good, as was Torres’ for Hodgson, but the quotes that he has made and the stories surrounding him make it feel like Van Persie isn’t behind Moyes.

He didn’t miss a game last season in the Barclays Premier League but this year he has been in and out – is he thinking about the World Cup? – while his demeanour has served only to increase the perception there are problems. Torres did exactly the same.

If a manager loses his players, there is often no way back and an issue Moyes has to contend with at the moment is the fact he is the focus of the criticism; United’s players will know this and can hide behind that, rather than looking at their own shortcomings. Again, that happened with Hodgson.”

Manchester United have a great tradition of backing their managers and therefore the club would back their manager to the fullest. However, Carragher says just that they haven’t panicked now doesn’t mean the owners are not anxious and it is very hard to fathom what the next step from the Glazers would be.